Green Peas and Purines

Green peas contain naturallyoccurring substances called purines. Purines are commonly found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purinerelated problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called gout and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acidrelated problems that can be related to excessive intake of purinecontaining foods. For this reason, individuals with kidney problems or gout may want to limit or avoid intake of purinecontaining foods such as green peas.